Lewiston property owners may face tax increase

Share this story

LEWISTON, ID - Lewiston residents could soon see up to a 2% increase in property tax for the year 2013.

City councilors agreed on the hike as a preliminary number to begin negotiations. Lewiston City Manager Jim Bennett said the increase would help wipe out the $700,000 deficit the City currently faces with it's general fund.

"Given the down economy and the fact that the cost of doing business continues to increase every year, generally some kind of increase in revenue, whether property taxes or something else, is needed to fund all the city services," said Bennett.

Bennett said an additional 1.5 to 2% augmentation would help more than a half a dozen important needs of the city. That number is just temporary and could range from anywhere between zero to 2%.